Fastening lace



Aug. 4,1936. R. GRABNER.' l 2,050,175 I FASTENING LACE Filed Sept. 50, 1952 Eff E512 INVENTOR. l

Y Ruh Ertrabner /tf/MM.

Patented Aug. 4, 1936 UNITED STATES PATE'NroFFIeE 15 Claims.

This invention concerns means facilitating the fastening of-a taut cord and more particularly it concerns means by which such a cord is normally tied at a fixed length, such length being however readily adjustable.

This invention will be hereinafter discussed and illustrated in connection with the `tying of shoe laces. It maybe readily applied to and adapted for other uses, such as gloves, garments ,or other Wear and closures, which are adjustably placed around objects of various sizes or for the purpose 0f a more or less tight t.

One object of this invention is to provide means on a cord or string which may be readily moved along the extent thereof, but which are xedly located upon said cord or string when they are used to fasten it. l

Another object of this invention is to provide means for such fastening, hooking or tying, which are simple andl durable in construction.

Another object of this invention is to provide in connection with a hook or button fxedly disposed upon a garment andwith strings by which said'garment is laced, means adjustable Aupon -said strings so that they may be arranged upon saidstrings in a fixed preferred position, and so that they may be engaged upon said hook or button, holding said string in a taut position. Y v

These and other objects of. my invention will be `better understood from a-.variety of exemplary illustrations, which are described in the follow,- ing, and which are shown in the copending drawing, in whichzi l Fig. 1 shows a laced shoe to which` my Vinventionis applied.

Fig. 2 shows a detailed view of a ring, used in connection with the string of said. shoe.

Fig. 3 shows a top view of a buttonoverwhich said ring is hooked.

v Fig. -4 shows a corresponding side view. f

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 show side;top and sectioned end viewsfrespectively, of a modification ofthe ring of Fig.` 2.

Fig. 8 illustrates a modification of my inven- 45 tion in a sectioned rear view.

Figs. 9 and 10 show respectively a rear view and a cross-section of a disc used in connection with the'modication of Fig. 8.

Fig.' 11 shows another modification of the device which I adjustably arrange upon a string.

Fig. 1,2 shows the. elevation of ahook preferably used in connection with the means of Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 shows the top view of another'assem- 55 bled modification of my invention.4

Fig. 14 shows a cross-#section of a bead used in the device of Fig. 1,3.v

Figs. l5 and 16 showa top and a sectioned rear View of another modification of my invention.

Fig. 17 showsY a .detailed side View of the mem- 5 ber engaged upon the stringof the device shown in Figs. l5 and 16.

Figs. 18 and 19show in side and lend views, a modification,` according to which the. lock member may take the form of aplain bushing. v l0 Figs. 20 and 21' show side and rear views of another form of the button, hook or binding post.

Similar numerals and letters refer to similar parts .throughout the various views.

In Fig. l the lace L extends through the eye- 15 lets E' of a shoe. .Upon the lace L, at a certain distance .away ,from .the free ends F thereof, are 'fastened rings or vmembers 2|. Upon opposite sides o1'V theshoe, acertain distance away from the lacingare arranged buttons, posts 7Vor hooks 20 22 vupon which therings 2| are engaged, retaining vthe lacing in the tied position. l

One manner in which` the/rings 2l may be readily mountedupon the lacing L is illustrated `in Fig. 2. The ring 2| is provided with substan- 25 .tially -coaxialholes23 upon opposite sides thereof, .throughwhich the lace extends to and away from the ring. Betweenthe holes 23, the lace L is slung once over the sides of the ring so that the center of the ringj remains substantially free. 30 TheA lace L may readily Ybe .extended in the manner shown in Fig. 2 through the ring V2l and it is also understood howthe ring may be readily adjusted along thelengthof the lace. The lace L may or may not slidey through the ring 2l when 35 aparticular tensionj is appliedA to its Nfree end F, away from the ring. But, when the ring 2l is hooked onto the binding post 22, the taut part of thelace L extending between the lacing and the ring pulls and engages the ring upon the inside 40 of the opposite side, from the outside of which extends the free end F, against the shank 24 of the button between the head 25 of the button and the top of the shoe S, so that the lace, where it issues from the free end F through'the 45 hole 273 into the ring 2l,` is squeezed or clamped against the said shank, and slippage of the lace L in the ring is prevented. It is therefore understood that lthe ring isxedly retained upon the string L, while it is engaged upon post 22 and 50 ties the-shoe; whereas said ringgmay be shifted Yalong the lace L-when the ringZl is unhooked from post 22. f

A modification-of thering-ormember 2l is n shown in the member -26 of Figs. 5, 6--and 7. n 55 'I'he member 26 may be compared with an angular frame which is slightly widened out at the centers 21 of opposite sides thereof, in order to allow the said member to be extended over a button like the button shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4. In a manner similar to that shown in connection with ring 2| in Fig. 2, the lace extends into and the free end F away from said member through suitable openings in the ends thereof. Near said ends there are openings on one side of the frame or member 26, through which the lace L is slung onto the outside of the member 26, in between the holes through which it enters upon and issues from said member. These openings are exemplarily indicated in the drawing by recesses 28 and 29 extending down from the top of member 26, so that the intermediary part 3|] may be at random hooked over the side of member 26, extending through said recesses. The profile of the frame or member 26 may be undercut between the top and bottom of the said member as indicated at 3|, so that the lace L is retained substantially centrally between the top and bottom of said member, and so that the lace is retained and compressed in a groove when the frame 26 is hooked over a post 22 and compresses the lace upon the inside of the frame, thus retaining the-frame in a fixed position upon the lace.

In Fig. 8 I show a hook or binding post I-I extending from the shoe S. A disc 35 is pressed in abutment against the side of post H by the lace L, said lace extending through a hole 36 in the center and through two holes 31 and 38 laterally removed on opposite sides from said center hole in disc 35. The manner in which the lace L extends through said disc 35 is illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10. Here we see the part 39 of lace L, which extends between the holes 31 and 38, extending substantially across the center of the disc 35 where the lace L extends therefrom, so that the said part 39 is pressedly engaged between the disc 35 and the post H after the lace L has been slung under the eye of hook I-l. It is therefore clear that the disc 35 is fxedly engaged by the lace L when placed behind the post H whereas normally the lace may be adjusted through the various openings of the disc into a preferred position of the disc upon the lace.

In the modifications of Figs. 11 and 12, the bead 4| and the hook 4-2 take the place of the ring 2| and the button 22 of Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. A lug 43 extending from bead 4| fits into the eye 44 of hook or forked post 42. The lace is extended through lug 43 near the base thereof and then again through the bead so that it issues from said bead at a point diametrically opposite the lug 43. The part of the lace which extends through lug 43 is engaged and squeezed or clamped by the hook 42 when the lace extending Vfrom the tied lacing is slipped under the hook 42,

in the manner in which said lace was engaged upon the button or hook in the prior illustrations.

In Fig. 13 I show a hook similar to that of Fig. 12 but here a ball 46 takes the place of ring 2| of Figs. 1 and 2. Two substantially parallel holes 41 and 48 extend through the ball, and two of the respective entrances, 49 and 50, are arranged substantially diametrically opposite to each other on said ball. The lace is extended into opening 49, through hole 41, and the part 5| issuing from said hole is swung over into the other hole 48 past the point at whichthe lace L enters upon the ball at 49 and the free end of the lace L extends from the opening 56. It will be understood that the part 5| of the lace L is engaged and clamped by the hook 42 when the lace L is extended through the eye 44 of said hook. The free end F of lace L is of such length, that it may be freely manipulated in hooking the ball 45 behind the hook 42.

A groove 52 merging with the holes, may be extended around the ball and serves to keep part 5| in place; the part 5| partly protrudes from the groove above the surface of the ball, so as to be engaged by the hook 42.

In the device illustrated in Figs. 15, 16 and 17',` the member 55 and the hook 56 take the place ofA the ring 2| and button 22 of Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively. The member 55 is folded over and is preferably resilient. From one end of said member extends two short lugs 51 inwardly, there being sufficient space therebetween to allow the said lugs to retain the lace L between each other, at one end of member 55, whereas the free end of lace L extends from member 55 through an opening 58 at the other end thereof. Normally the lace L may be adjusted longitudinally in member 55. But the member 55 clampedly engages upon the string or lace L and is fixedly retained upon the latter when the lacing is tied by pulling the free ends F of the lace L, the lace is slung underneath the hook 56 and the taut lace L pulls the folded member 55 under the hook 56, so that the latter is engaged like a wedge upon the lace L. The free end 6G of the hook 55 is struck down, so that it prevents the member 55 from sliding laterally out from thereunder.

The member bound on the lace L is just a bushing 6| in the arrangement of Figs. 18 and 19. This bushing, upon which the lace L is engaged by being slung therearound, may be bound on any of the hooks or binding posts previously shown, or may be bound, like the other members previously shown on the post 63 of Figs. 20 and 21. The lace L extends between the forks 64 which inclinedly arise from the shoe S, the member being locked behind said forks.

It is understood that the button, hook or binding post ordinarily is placed so far away from the lacing, that the member does not have to be displaced along the lace, when the lacing is loosened up.

Having thus shown various modifications of my invention in detail, yet I do not wish to be limited thereby, except as the state of the art and the appended claims may require, for it is obvious that other modifications and changes may be made in the form of embodiment of my invention, without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

What I claim isz- 1. In combination with a binding post for tying a lace, a perforated member, said lace substantially fitting one perforation in said member, and said lace shiftably extending through said one perforation and over said member so that it is wedged between said member and post, when said member is engaged on said post under the tension of the lace extending from said member.

2. In combination with a binding post for tying a lace, a perforated member, said lace substantially fitting one perforation in said member, and said lace being looped through said one perforation and over said member so that it is wedged between said member and post, when said member is engaged on said post under the tension of the lace extending from said member.

3. In combination with a binding post for tying a lace, a perforated member to and from which extends said lace, said lace substantially fitting one perforation in said member, and convolutions in said lace loosely engaged upon said member but bound thereon by said post when said member is engaged on said post under the tension of said lace.

4. In combination with a binding post for tying a lace, a perforated member, said lac-e substantially fitting one perforation in said member, said lace shiftably extending through and over said member, but being disposed between said member and said post and xedly fastened on said member when said member is hooked onto said post.

5. In combination with a binding post for tying a lace, a perforated member to and from which extends said lace, said lace substantially tting one perforation in said member, and convolutions in said lace engaged upon said member, and convolutedly Xedly between said member and said post and fastened on said member when said member is hooked onto said post.

6. In combination with a binding post for tying a lace, a perforated member, said lace being looped through a plurality of perforations in said member, said lace substantially fitting one perforation in said member and being engaged between said member and said post, when said member is hooked onto said post against the tension of said lace.

7. In combination with a binding post for tying a lace, a perforated member, said lace being looped through a plurality of perforations in and over said member, said lace substantially fitting one perforation in said member and being guided thereby so that it is wedged between said mel ber and said post when said member is hooked onto said post.

8. In combination with a binding post, a round member engageable on said post, perforations extending through said member, and a lace substantially tting one perforation in said member and adjustably looped through said perforations but bound therein when engaged between the assembled member and post.

9. In combination with a binding post, a round member engageable on said post, perforations extending through said member, and a lace substantially fitting one perforation in said member and looped through said perforations and over a round part of said member, said round part of the member facing the post when assembled therewith.

10. In combination with a binding po-st, a member, perforations extending through said member, and a lace substantially fitting one perforation in said member and looped through said perforations and over said member where said member faces said post when engaged thereupon.

1l. In combination with a binding post, a round member engageable in said post, relatively angular perforations extending through said member, and a lace substantially fitting one perforation in said member and looped through all of said perforations.

12. In combination with a binding post, a round member engageable on said post, perforations extending through said member, a lace substantially fitting one perforation in said member and looped through said perforations, and a groove in the surface of said member accommodating said lace.

13. In combination with a binding post, a round member engageable on said post, perforations extending through said member, a lace substantially fitting one perforation in said member and looped through said perforations, and a groove in the surface of said member accommodating said lace and connecting a pair of said perforations.

14. In combination with a binding post, a perforated ring fitting over said binding post, and a lace substantially fitting and extending through perforations in said ring.'

l5. In combination with a binding post, a perforated ring fitting over said binding post, and a lace substantially fitting and extending through perforations in and slung over said ring.

ROBERT GRABNER. 

